


Getting To Know You (Crossing Blades)

by Kona



Series: Filling The Canvas And Getting To Know You [3]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Also Sorry Jeralt You're Barely In This One, And Really Honest, But He's Also Not, Byleth Is A Beast, Combat, Did It Ever Go Away Though?, F/F, Honesty, Hubert Is Here, IT JUST GETS WORSE, Instrospective, It's The Return Of Gay Panic Edelgard, Look Guys I'm Just A Simple Bi Whose Bad At Tags, Minor Spoilers for Crimson Flower Route, Pre-Time Skip, Slow Burn, Sorry Edelgard The Weapon Triangle Is Gone But Axes Suck Against Swords, Sparring, part of a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 07:09:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kona/pseuds/Kona
Summary: Edelgard had been training in the early morning hours with Byleth for almost a month now. It was exhausting, but she was determined to prove herself to the former mercenary. Late one morning Byleth paused, then pulled an axe from the weapons stand. Making her way over to Edelgard, there was an eagerness in her step that Edelgard wasn’t familiar with. Her confusion must have been clear on her face because Byleth spoke up.“Want to spar?”The question sent a thrill through her.





	Getting To Know You (Crossing Blades)

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this the day BEFORE Intsys dropped that loungewear DLC and I straight up cannot believe they played me like that. It's hilarious seeing how modern they were? (Caspar looks perfect in it tho you better BELIEVE IT) But it's the return of a bit more overt gay panic because look when your crush asks you to spar like come on y'all. It's too much. Despite that, this is soft bs because what else can I write for these two? Also shout out to my long suffering fiancee @The_Captains_Chair for being my beta for all my ridiculous sapphic bs. Also once again, when you have a chance to torture Hubert...why wouldn't you?

Edelgard had been training in the early morning hours with Byleth for almost a month now. And she was beginning to notice a few things. 

The first was that her impression of Byleth as a one woman army was not without merit. 

The second was that she was not nearly as close to matching her as she thought.

And the third was that this routine was actually starting to get rather tiring.

Waking up so early in the morning to match Byleth’s morning training was starting to have an effect on Edelgard’s schedule. She was finding it easier to fall asleep at the end of the day, exhausted after fitting in an extra shift of training before she’d even truly started her day. 

The first week that she’d woken up consistently to join Byleth for her training she’d simply watched. She took in the way her teacher moved and honed her skills. She hadn’t had any intentions of joining, until Byleth tossed the standard Monastery training uniform at her one morning and tilted her head to a closet. 

“You’ve got the idea now, right? Theory is all well and good, but you should join me.”

She couldn’t very well back down from the challenge. It would reflect poorly on her, and she didn’t want the professor to think less of her. She would rise to the occasion. She would _ surpass _ the expectations her teacher had for her.

That had been the intention anyways. 

The first day had ended the idea that she was in fighting shape. She’d sat and watched Byleth and Jeralt spar at the end of the morning feeling like she’d pulled an entire building behind her for the whole morning. The fact that Byleth had made her train with the rest of the class after putting her through that made her almost want to scream. 

But she would not fail. Edelgard von Hresvelg did _ not _ fail. So she sucked it up and continued with Byleth’s insane morning routine. It was a group of long laps around the Monastery, then an absurd number of various pushing, pulling, and crunching of her body. Then came drills, and _ finally sparring. _It was no wonder that her teacher could endlessly spar against every member of the class during their training blocks-she did this every day and never wavered. It was like she was a well oiled machine. 

Watching Byleth, Edelgard couldn’t help but wonder if the woman was even _ slowing _ down her routine to accommodate her. The thought vexed her. She wanted to match her professor. Maybe even surpass the woman. If she wanted to stand on her own and carry Fodlan on her back, she needed to get stronger. So she soldiered on, training alongside her stoic teacher every morning she could.

Finally, in the third week of the month, Edelgard started to feel as though this new change in her training was beginning to take shape. She no longer felt horribly winded as she completed her final lap of the grounds, and she hadn’t found her muscles trembling so terribly as she made her way through her various repetitions. 

One day, as Edelgard wiped her face clear of sweat, she noticed that Byleth and Jeralt hadn’t immediately started to spar as they did after their stretches. Instead, she watched as Jeralt laughed, patting Byleth on the shoulder and jerking his finger back towards herself, before he wandered off the training grounds. Byleth rolled her eyes, a rare show of outward annoyance, and pulled an axe from the weapons stand. Making her way over to Edelgard, there was an eagerness in her step that Edelgard wasn’t familiar with. Her confusion must have been clear on her face because Byleth spoke up.

“Want to spar?”

She tossed the weapon towards Edelgard, who caught it by the grip with ease. It wasn’t a wooden one, but an actual iron weapon, with real heft to it. She watched Byleth lazily spin her sword in her hand for a moment, watching Edelgard for her answer. For once Edelgard felt the full weight of her professor’s gaze on her, and it was almost oppressive. It was a challenge.

Edelgard’s heart rate ratcheted up in speed, and she could scarcely believe it. Byleth’s face looked nonchalant, but she could see the fight in her eyes. The fire. 

She wanted to match it. 

“You won’t go easy on me?” Edelgard adjusted her grip, moving into the ring, her stance widening. 

An actual _ smirk _, one that sent a thrill through her system, crossed Byleth’s face.

“Only if you can keep up with me.”

Raising her axe, noting that the difference in blade types put her at a disadvantage, Edelgard screwed her face up in concentration. She wouldn’t let that put her off. This would be a chance to prove her growth. To show off her resolve.

Byleth moved first, eyes bright with the rush of battle. Her blade dragged up out of the dust, aiming for her side. Edelgard barely had time to raise her axe, letting the broad side of it take the blow fully. Her arms tingled with the force of the blow, which was enough to shock her into focusing more. She wanted to blink, dust from Byleth’s opening action caused her eyes to water, but she knew the moment she closed her eyes Byleth would seize the opening. 

So instead she moved into the space left open from the attack with her shoulder, attempting to ram into Byleth’s open left side. She felt a surge of success as she connected, but realized it wasn’t the wisest move too late, as Byleth seemed to move like liquid out of the way. She stumbled forward and managed to raise her axe to take the brunt of Byleth’s blade. If she’d been a second slower, it would have slammed against her twisting back.

Gritting her teeth she kicked her foot against the dust covered ground, copying the distraction from the beginning of the match. It worked, and Byleth stepped back, raising her free arm to block her face from the dirt. She took the opportunity to tightly grip her weapon and swing it right at Byleth’s abdomen. She wanted to push this opening, knowing it wouldn’t last. If she could just get _ one _ hit in…

It wouldn’t be this hit however. Byleth’s sword batted her axe away as though she’d put no effort behind the blow. The change in momentum caused her to stumble forward _ again _, which was infuriating. This time, Edelgard wasn’t as lucky to stop the next attack, the axe in her hand was woefully far away from where the flat of Byleth’s sword connected with her ribs. 

She saw stars, the pain blooming instantly from the blow, and weakly she attempted to push away from Byleth to gain her footing again. Byleth’s face was pure concentration, all of her focus on Edelgard. It felt like she was being consumed by those eyes, and that thought was her downfall as suddenly her world started to spin.

Byleth had swept her leg out, taking Edelgard’s feet out from under her. _ Sloppy stance, she warned you about that last week... _Her mind spat out as her head hit the dirt with an angry thud. She wanted to rise up but froze as the tip of Byleth’s sword aimed itself at her throat. 

She swallowed-throat suddenly dry, as Byleth stood over her. With those eyes taking all of her in as she laid there panting, she wondered if it was possible to drown on land, so sucked into those blue eyes as she was. She’d never felt so powerless and yet content with the feeling as she did right now. She was at Byleth’s mercy. 

Her stomach clenched at the thought.

“I yield.”

The tip of the sword was away in an instant, and replaced with Byleth’s hand. Taking it shakily, Edelgard let herself be pulled up in one smooth motion. As soon as she was up, Byleth was crouching by her side, her eyes contrite. 

“Sorry, I hit you harder than I expected; May I see?” Her hands hovered over the hem of Edelgard’s practice uniform, and while Edelgard’s heartrate hadn’t been normal for the past ten minutes this was starting to get painful. The idea of her teacher seeing her bare, even just a little, was embarrassing. 

Thrilling too, but she squashed that part of her brain for the moment. 

Swallowing her pride and embarrassment she nodded. The pain in her ribs was a more pressing issue. Slowly, she raised her uniform up, hissing as the motion twinged at the wound.

Slowly, and more gently than she expected, Byleth pressed her hand against the wound. There were no firm pressure in the touch but the warmth that bloomed from that spot made her avert her eyes. She was unwilling to have Byleth see her looking up at her, while touching her. It felt...dangerous somehow. 

“On a scale of 1 to 10…” Byleth pressed on the wound now, and Edelgard suppressed a gasp of pain, “How bad is that?”

Edelgard hesitated, opening her mouth to give an answer, before Byleth cut her off.

“The _ real _ number, please.” Her voice was soft, contrite even, “I can’t help if I can’t get a good gauge of it.”

Edelgard shut her mouth, and this time she did turn her head to look at Byleth. There was open concern on her face. Her brows were furrowed and her mouth turned down in a guilty frown. It was the largest show of emotion she’d seen outside of battle from the professor. And it was because of _ her _ . (She could almost forget it was because of a sword wound that _ Byleth _ had caused.)

“...6.” She finally admitted. The pain was throbbing, and she wasn’t entirely certain something hadn’t cracked, but it certainly wasn’t the worst thing that she’d faced. And she knew that Byleth could have hit her much harder. So perhaps she should be counting her blessings.

“Hubert is going to kill me.” 

Edelgard couldn’t help the snort of laughter and the wince that followed at Byleth’s mumbled words. The woman shook her head, standing up. Edelgard immediately lowered her shirt the moment Byleth’s hand slipped from her skin. 

“It’s no good then. We have to go see Professor Manuela. I hope she’s awake.” Byleth murmured, picking up Edelgard’s axe and her sword to put them back on the weapons rack. When she came back she placed a hand on the small of Edelgard’s back and gave a slight push, “Come on, let’s get this sorted out before the rest of the monestary wakes up.” 

Edelgard started to walk, following Byleth’s brisk pace towards the Infirmary. The silence was awkward, even for someone who preferred silence to inane chatter, and she wasn’t fond of the fuss over her wellbeing. It forced her to blurt out an apology, something she’d never usually sink to. 

“I apologize, Professor. This wouldn’t have happened if I was more vigilant.”

“What?” Byleth sounded incredulous, turning towards her, brow still furrowed, “No. I don’t accept that. I was the one who…” She grunted, searching for the right phrase, “I pushed you too hard. I should be the one apologizing.”

Edelgard wanted to stop and argue that she shouldn’t have fallen in a training bout so quickly, but didn’t want to seem petulant. Instead she forced herself to be more diplomatic.

“It only happened because I couldn’t match you in combat, Professor, that’s all. I just have to try harder next time.” 

If there was a next time. The look on Byleth’s face seemed to say this may have been her only shot to prove her worth against Byleth’s true strength.

“You _ can’t _ match me in combat.”

The statement was blunt, and entirely honest. It made Edelgard flush with shame. She _ knew _ she wasn’t a match for the mercenary yet. Byleth had struck with such strength and surely. It was as if Byleth were a living weapon-the kind Edelgard had been forged to become. How frustrating it was to see a fully realized version of her path, one that hadn’t cost so much. The scars on her back began to itch at the thought. 

“...I apologize for assuming.” Edelgard muttered, averting her eyes.

They were silent as they reached the door to the Infirmary, and Edelgard was sure that was where it would end. She reached for the knob but as she made to twist it, Byleth’s hand covered hers. It was impossibly warm and encompassing. Her head shot up to see Byleth staring at her.

She couldn’t decipher the expression on her teacher’s face. The characteristic blank face held a grimace, and in her eyes-a myriad of emotions. Ones Edelgard couldn’t put a name to. It pinned her down though, and she found she couldn’t look away. Why would she ever want to though? Those eyes were beautiful.

She‘d drown in those eyes, gladly.

“Professor...?” It came out a whisper.

“...One day.” It started hesitant, “One day you will match me. In combat and out of it. It’s okay for it to take a little while,” Byleth tilted her head a little, the tension in her mouth dissipating, “You’re going to be glorious one day, Edelgard. I want to do everything I can to help you get there.”

Byleth’s voice was always soft-husky at times, but as she leaned over Edelgard, it seemed all the more so. Edelgard’s eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly in surprise. Her teacher wasn’t free with open praise. It was often paired with a criticism to change something to improve next time. 

_ Glorious. _

It echoed in her head. 

“I can’t wait to see what you become,” Byleth continued, “So it’s my fault for getting over eager and pushing you too hard.” It was honest, and more explanation than she expected from the usually quiet woman. Edelgard could hear her pulse in her ears, and it was almost drowning out Byleth’s voice, with how loud it was thundering. 

“Next time I’ll let you set the pace. I’ll match _ you _.”

_ Next time. _

Excitement rose in her throat faster than she expected. She nodded mutely, forcing her smile to stay muted. 

“I’d like that very much, my teacher.”

She could almost imagine the corners of Byleth’s mouth curling up in a smile, but before it could ever materialize, the older woman’s eyes flickered down the hall. 

“I’ll see you in homeroom then, Edelgard.” 

Her hand felt suddenly chilled as Byleth quickly withdrew and made her way briskly in the opposite direction.

“Lady Edelgard.”

Ah. That would be why.

“Hubert, good morning.” Edelgard didn’t bother looking at him. She knew he must have a frown and a disappointed glare in eyes. He was still wary of their teacher, and while she understood his apprehension, she couldn’t understand the vitriol towards her. 

“I heard there was an incident during your morning training. Are you injured?”

“It’s a minor injury, Professor Manuela will see to it.” She cocked her head to look at him, “It’s not a problem, Hubert. I’ll be ready for breakfast within the hour, if you could get my uniform ready for my return?” She didn’t want to listen to him mutter about how Byleth was too reckless while she was getting healed. And it wasn’t a total lie. She didn’t expect to be long.

It was a long pause, and she watched him purse his lips for a moment, before bowing slightly, thinking better of whatever he was about to say.

“Of course, Lady Edelgard. I’ll see to it posthaste.”

She nodded, and watching him retreat towards the dormitories. As soon as he cleared her view she let out a sigh, wincing at the motion against her ribs. Her heart had finally calmed but her mind was still echoing with Byleth’s words. 

She hid a giddy smile against the door before mastering her emotions to enter.

Glorious. 

She would do everything to meet that expectation. 

She would _ surpass _that expectation.


End file.
